We are going to be hosting some of the top surgeons that you have in the United States and they are coming to conduct some very rare surgeries
The Abia Government says it will commence a free medical outreach aimed at providing treatment for 5,000 persons and conducting no fewer than 200 surgeries in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo, made this known on Monday during a press briefing on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Umuahia.
Okoronkwo said that the government would be working in collaboration with the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA) to offer Medicare to indigent and vulnerable individuals in Abia.
She said that 81 physicians were expected to offer medicare during the programme which has been slated to hold from April 4 to 14.
“We are going to be hosting some of the top surgeons that you have in the United States and they are coming to conduct some very rare surgeries that you don’t get to do here in Abia
”Some of the surgeries cost so much. For example, colonoscopy that would be available to some people. If you have to do colonoscopy in Nigeria you have to go to Abuja
“Now that it is going to be available here, it is something that every one should take advantage of,” she said.
She said that free testing would commence on Saturday, aimed at preparing the patients and their cases for the programme.
Okoronkwo said that the centers for the testing would be the Federal Medical Center, Umuahia, and the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba, because they have the capacity for specialised testing.
“For people above 40 years, I would advise you to visit the center if you have need for such care”.